1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of launching or tossing games in general. In particular, the present invention relates to a slingshot-based object tossing game utilizing burstable and nonburstable objects. Known art may be found in U.S. classification 237, subclass 357 with other related items found in subclasses 1 R and 428; and additional material on slingshot type launchers may be found in U.S. classification 124, subclass 17 as well as in other classes and subclasses.
2. Description of the Known Art
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a slingshot may be used to launch a water balloon, snowball, or other object toward a target. Details of a typical water balloon launching apparatus are contained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,518 issued to Erlandson et al. on Mar. 20, 1990.
Examples of slingshots may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,396 issued to Randoll on Dec. 23, 1980, and other game devices may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,220 issued to Shelley on Jan. 6, 1981; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,137 issued to Armer, Jr. et al. on Aug. 4, 1987. Each of these patents is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,518 issued to Erlandson et al. on Mar. 20, 1990 describes a water balloon game. This patent describes a game participant enclosure for a water balloon game including a plurality of side walls and an overhead protector. The protector includes a water balloon opening sufficiently large for the user standing inside the enclosure to launch a water balloon through the enclosure. A water balloon launcher is disposed inside the enclosure for this purpose.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,396 issued to Randoll on Dec. 23, 1980 discloses a game-balloon launcher. This patent is directed to a device in the form of a slingshot utilizing a funnel as a holder for a balloon to be launched.
Thus, it may be seen that these prior art patents are very limited in their teaching and utilization, and an improved game apparatus is needed to overcome these limitations. What is needed then is a launching game apparatus and method for providing an improved game apparatus unit that is smaller and/or compactable and transportable for playing a launching game.